darling elise ♥

on my nails: butter london's trout pout

2012-03-04T11:57:00.000-06:00

the second butter london nail polish i decided to try was another one from their spring and summer collection: trout pout. the dictionary definition of this name is "cruel slang for a woman who has “overdone” the collagen in her lips, leaving her with a rather fishy face." i really like this color and i think it'll be a big hit for me during the summer, it's so bright!

styled for spring: neon

2012-03-03T20:50:00.001-06:00

i still haven't joined the neon trend, but i've been eyeing quite a few items when i've been browsing target's accessories department. i'm lusting after one of their yellow neon bags, and the price tag is great for a trend like this. a pop of neon with an otherwise neutral outfit looks so good, add a neon colored belt, sunglasses, bracelets or a bag to your next outfit!

ONE rock candy blouse / TWO neon essie nail polish

THREE the fluoro / FOUR electric feel skirt

on my nails: butter london's knackered

2012-03-02T15:17:00.002-06:00

the first of my butter london nail polishes i decided to try was knackered. it's such an unique color. it's got small, colorful speckles of sparkle and it's even got an iridescent look to it. it switches between green or purple, depending on how the light hits your nails.

one thing i think is so cute about butter london is that all of their names are english slang or words, and they have this cute dictionary where you can look up what each nail polish name means. for knackered it says: "to be tired or exhausted. “wow, you look knackered. what did you get up to last night?!”"

essie and butter london haul

2012-03-02T12:03:00.003-06:00

i've been looking for essie's spring collection at target and walgreens since the end of january, but they never got it. so i finally gave in and ordered my top pick from the collection from ulta.com and i decided to get some butter london nail polishes too. i've been wanting to try them for such a long time, but the $14 price tag made me not buy them. then i figured out that $14 is nothing compared to how pricey high-end nail polish is in norway ($14 = ca. 84 nok), so i decided to go for it and buy three of them!

i ended up getting essie tour de finance and butter london knackered, muggins and trout pout. knackered is by far my favorite and it's currently on my nails, so expect a post with that tonight or tomorrow. i'll probably also do a review of the butter london nail polishes after trying all of them out and having formed an overall opinion about the brand.

project 10 pan!

2012-03-01T22:15:00.001-06:00

i love make up and i love to buy new make up products that i haven't tried before. this has resulted in a pile up of too many products that i like but never use, so i though that joining the challenge "project 10 pan" (that was started by laura) would be perfect. basically the rules of project 10 pan is to not buy any beauty products before you've hit pan on all 10 products. i'm going to change the rules a little, just to "don't buy any beauty products of the ones in project 10 pan". i can't buy any cleanser, highlighter, concealer, foundation etc...

introducing: my project 10 (i actually have 12) pan!

choosing the products was a bit of a challenge in it self, since i couldn't find exactly 10 that i wanted to finish. i ended up with a good mix of products i like but want to finish and products that is ok but that i don't want to use:

max factor xperience foundation ♥ i've had this foundation for a long time and at one point it was my favorite. then i just stopped using it and started to try out other foundations.
maybelline instant age rewind concealer ♥ this one i also liked, but stopped using when trying out a new concealer. i just want to finish this product and stick to my favorite concealer.
benefit girl meets pearl highlighter ♥ i was really into highlighting my face for a dewy look at the end of last year, now: not so much. hopefully i'll be able to finish this product, i've still got a lot left!
philosophy purity cleanser ♥ i really like this cleanser but after trying origins' cleanser i've gotten a new favorite.
clinique dramatically difference moisturizing lotion ♥ same reason as the cleanser!
neutrogena healthy skin foundation ♥ i tried this one after the hype about it on youtube, sometimes i love it - other times i don't.
mac well dressed blush ♥ this is my first mac blush that i got forever ago, it's time to hit pan on it!
nars orgasm blush ♥ i really like this blush, but i want to hit pan and finish it!
helena rubenstein mascara ♥ love/hate relationship...
mac paint pot in bare study ♥ i use this basically everyday and i still haven't hit pan.
mac eye shadows in ricepaper and corduroy ♥ i've got too many nude eye shadows so i want to make my collection of nudes smaller (aka i really want the naked pallet.)

i'll of course update you guys after i hit pan or finish one or more products. wish me luck!

on my nails: opi's tickle my france-y

2012-03-01T09:12:00.002-06:00

this is the first time in a long time i'm wearing opi nail polish, it used to be my favorite brand - but now i swear by essie! oh, and i've been getting these small bubbles in my nail polish recently. i think it's either because i wear a nail strengthener underneath, or it's my top coat that's acting up... very annoying, none the less.

on my nails: essie's neo whimsical

2012-02-28T17:47:00.003-06:00

here's my current nail color! i haven't used this essie nail polish in neo whimsical since i got it, simply because i've never had the patience to apply it. it's the least opaque color i own and, in my opinion, it needs five to six layers of polish to be a hundred percent opaque. i love the color, but i'm definitely on the look-out for a similar one that doesn't need me to spend one to two hours doing my nails and having them dry.

oh, and expect a nail polish haul sometime next week (hopefully.) i decided to feed my addiction with four new polishes that i ordered online from ulta.com. that's what happens when neither target or walgreens have gotten the new essie spring collection.

lush goodies!

2012-02-27T17:46:00.001-06:00

today i went in to the city to buy my moisturizer and pick up some food, i also ended up stopping by lush. i love lush products but i haven't used one in forever, i bought my favorite soap: sultana of soap, a shower jelly in woosh, and i also got a small sample of the shower gel happy hippy. i'm so excited to be using lush products again ♥

origins checks and balances face wash review

2012-02-25T12:48:00.000-06:00

after using my origins checks and balances face wash for a month now, i feel that it's about time for a review. i like to wait about a month before saying what i think about new products, because that's when your skin has gotten used to it.

brand origins

product frothy face wash

product name checks and balances

price $19.50 (5 fl. oz./150 ml)

available origins.com, macy's, sephora etc.

after having tried out three skincare products from origins i can safely say that it's working its way up to my number one favorite skincare brand. their products are formulated without parabens, mineral oils, synthetic color, synthetic fragrance, animal ingredients etc. you can read more about origins' story here if you're interested.

origins' checks and balances frothy face wash is great for combination skin types, it's formulated to work both on dry and oily places, but you can use it for any skin type. i chose to buy this one even though i have dryer skin (they have one for just dry skin) because it foams! i have to have a face wash that foams, or else i don't feel that it's working. i also like to use my cleanser as a makeup remover too, so i do use more of this product when i wash my face than you need to - just to remove all of my foundation and mascara. it's definitely not a makeup remover, but as long as you use a larger amount of the product you should be fine. in the mornings i only use a tiny amount of the product; you need less than what's on my finger in the picture! if you only use it as a cleanser it's very long lasting.

to describe the product itself it has a very creamy consistency which feels very nice on my dry skin. it has a minty scent, so if you don't like the smell of mint i wouldn't recommend it. mint isn't my favorite scent, but it doesn't bother me. it's rather refreshing in the morning - and it's not too strong for nighttime.

when i finish all of this product i'll definitely buy it again. maybe i'll try the creamy cleanser that's more for dry skin, but since it doesn't foam i'll probably just continue to use this one! i think the creamy one would be great for dry skin during the winter, and this one is better for dry skin in the summer - just because your skin get more moisture in the summer when the air isn't as dry.

13 things to do in 13 weeks

2012-02-22T11:08:00.004-06:00

i've got 13 weeks left of this semester before i move back to norway, and most likely i won't come back after the summer! i'll write more about this later when i know more myself. so, since i might not be back here in minnesota/america i made a list of 13 things i want to do in 13 weeks. not all of them are "touristy", but they still work.

Go shopping at the Mall of America
Send letters/cards to Norway once a month
Get a manicure
~~Film a day in my life and send it home~~
Walk around Minneapolis and explore
Bring my camera everywhere. And use it.
Be a “tourist” for a day/weekend
Visit the sculpture park in Minneapolis
Go to a Tommie baseball game
Eat at a new restaurant in Minneapolis
Go see a movie and have buttery popcorn again
~~Try thirteen American candies I haven’t had before~~
Purchase my "American-must-haves"

great blog posts #1

2012-02-20T22:32:00.000-06:00

i'm going to start doing a new kind of tips post whenever i feel i have something to share. what i'm doing is to show you great blog posts that i've found around the world wide web, whether it's a post with tips, fashion, beauty, a cute outfit, a great story, or something cute, if i like it - i'll share it!

my unwanted beauty box {lauren's dressing room}
how to color block like a pro {dulce candy}
tehuset {kamillak}
fashionable camera straps {madebygirl}

on my nails: essie's mint candy apple

2012-02-20T11:25:00.002-06:00

saturday night i tried out a new "design" on my nails with my two essie nail polishes; mint candy apple and set in stones. i love this combination and can't wait to try it out with other colors too!

what i love and hate about america!

2012-02-19T08:27:00.005-06:00

after living and studying in america for 6 months i've figured out what i love and hate about america. i won't write too detailed about some of my points about why i "hate" america, because that could turn out to be very offensive to people! and if you're from america, i don't mean to offend you. i don't hate america, but i do have some dislikes about it. keep in mind that even though i have an equal amount of love and hate, the love is worth more.

the school system. i love that over the whole semester you can gather points through tests, homework and quizzes, and not having to fully rely on you exam score on how you'll do in your classes.
the dollar. everything is so cheap, and for shopping lovers that's perfect! being an international student (as long as you've saved up some money) is great.
the politeness. almost everyone say sorry, excuse me, thank you, smile, and open doors for you. when i was back in norway for break no one did that...
the language. i love english!
the food. i love that there's so many options! if you make an effort it's so easy to eat healthy, because they've got everything here.
target. oh my gosh, i love target so much that it deserves its own point ♥
no "jantelov". not that i really care that much about it back in norway, but you do see a difference from norway to america by how people behave. of course, people can still be judgemental or give you looks if you're different - when i wore my blue pants i got some glares!

21 years as the drinking age. i'm not a big partier, and it doesn't bother me that much, but the fact that the drinking age is that high brings a lot of differences between nationalities. everyone have to sneak around, drinking is a big deal for some, and talking about being how drunk they were this weekend is sooo coool. it's basically like being back in the 9th grade.
fashion. you'd think america would be very fashionable since the have so many great fashion bloggers and fashionistas in their country, but a lot of people don't care about how they dress at all. in high school mostly only the slobs wore sweats to school while others wore jeans, a hoodie or nicer tops. not so much here.
general classes. ugh, the worst part of college is taking generals! some are of course interesting, but having to take math and science when you're majoring in communication/pr is not fun.
difficult to find good friends. it's so difficult to find close friends that you have a lot of common with! some people's view on different topics make me feel so grateful that i grew up in norway.
the food. yup, it made both lists! so much of the food is unhealthy and doesn't have the best ingredients for you. palm oil in everything, a lot of dyes.
horrible public transportation. and the people on the buses and trains are for the most part sketchy people.
the tap water. it taste like chlorine! i had to buy a water filter, before that i only drank bottled water, which become quite expensive in the long run.

what do you love/hate about america?

nasty gal haul!

2012-02-16T13:31:00.002-06:00

on monday i placed an order at nastygal.com, and it arrived today! i'm very impressed by the delivery time, only two days from california. i love all of the things i bought, the sweater's arms are a little too long but i'll make it work with rolling them up. i bought the necklace to wear with the white blouse, but it works with the sweater too!

current makeup favorites

2012-02-15T07:18:00.001-06:00

i'm always on the search for a favorite within the basic beauty products i use every day. over the last couple of years i've been trying out a lot of foundations, powders, concealers and mascaras, but i've never really found any products that i always go back to.

after i tried these two products, and used up everything of both, they're products i have and have to repurchase. the smashbox foundation is perfect for my skintype {which is normal to dry} and the anastasia brow gel is amazing; it doesn't wear off or act up during the day.

favorite fashion bloggers

2012-02-14T15:13:00.000-06:00

i thought i would share with you two of my favorite fashion blogs; dulcecandy.com and superficialgirls.com! there's a lot of great fashion blogs out there, some that are more fashion than others. when i find blogs i like and that become my favorites it's when i can identify with the blogger, and actually want to wear what they're wearing.

dulcecandy is my favorite when it comes to both blog and youtube channel. she's so down to earth, and i love that she mixes expensive and affordable items in her outfits. superficialgirls is a blog i discovered about a month ago, but it's already in my top two favorites. her outfits are so pretty, and i just love reading her blog.

february birchbox + mini review

2012-02-13T18:33:00.003-06:00

last month i decided to finally do something i've been wanting to do for a long time - get a birchbox subscription! birchbox is basically one of the many subscription services online where you get a box in the mail every month with various product samples from different companies.

i was so excited to receive my box today, i loved the wrapping and the cuteness of it all, but the products i got... not so much. my first birchbox was a big disappointment, i didn't get any perticulary good samples and the sample sizes were extremely small. i'm so glad i only subscribed for one month, and not an entire year!

the products in this month's birchbox was...

colorescience pro / glow and go travel kit
eye rock designer liner (excited to try this)
jouer moisturizing lip gloss in birchbox pink (i like the product, not the size)
juicy couture viva la juicy perfume sample

five tips on saving (and spending) money

2012-02-12T10:30:00.000-06:00

as an international student in a country where i can't work i have to be creative in how i save money and stay on a budget during the school year. i've always loved to spend money, but i've also enjoyed having some money on a savings account - even though that would be spent on unnecessary things during my early teen years (i'm not a teenager anymore! wow...). i think these tips would be great for both students with or without a job, and adults. enjoy!

the first thing you should do is create a savings account. i actually have two savings accounts, and i'm even thinking about creating a third one. since i can't work in the u.s. i keep all of the money i save up during the summer in a separate account, so that i know that i can't touch that money until the school year begins. during the year i take a certain amount of money from that account each month and place it in my checking account. in the second savings account i save money that i can't touch. at all.

the second tips is to think of why you want to save. i find this to be very important since if you don't have a savings "goal" it's much easier to borrow a few dollars now and then from your savings account. if you're saving for something special, either an expensive purchase, a house, or just for the future - it's easier to save and don't use that money on something else. my goal for saving is just to always have some extra money in the future. i hate the feeling of being broke, so having a savings account makes me feel good. it doesn't have to be more complicated than that!

if you do have a job, that's great. after paying for everything you have to, like bills, food, etc, you should put a certain amount of money into your savings account after each paycheck/month. it'll make a difference even if you put five, ten, or a hundred dollars into your savings account each month!

this might not apply for everyone, but for those who like to be organized i think this is helpful. if you have online banking and the opportunity to name your savings accounts, i would do that. i just call one of them "savings account" and the other one "monthly use". it's easier to tell them apart, and well, i just like that they're not called the same.

the last tips i have for you guys is how to spend money. it's easy for me to know how much money i can spend each month since i already have a set amount of money, but during the summer months when i'm working i always make sure i put some of the money into my savings account before i spend anything. i will either decide how much money i want to save each month, or how much i'll allow myself to use.

these are just tips that works for me, i don't expect all of you to agree or find use of all of them.
happy saving, and let me know if you'd like to see more of these tips posts!

kate spade spring picks

2012-02-11T12:40:00.000-06:00

as i've mentioned before, i love kate spade items. even though they're on the more expensive side i love browsing through the online shop to see if i find anything that i can't pass up. i've found a lot of cute stuff in the new arrivals section that i'd love to have for spring, so i thought i'd share them with you. and as you can see, i'm still loving hot pink!

ONE when in rome idiom bracelet / TWO new bond street cyndy wallet

THREE new bond street ettie bag / FOUR octagolia silk scarf

FIVE ippolita flats / SIX broom street colored jeans

rebecca minkoff mini mac clutch

2012-02-09T15:19:00.001-06:00

i've been wanting a new, go-to bag for a while now and i was set on getting modalu's pippa bag whenever it would be in stock. then i saw rebecca minkoff's bags, and i knew i had to get one. since this is a more expensive bag i took some time to decide which model to buy, what color, and just basically what i use my bags for. i normally go for bigger bags, but this time i decided to go for a smaller one - since what i carry in my bag is only a wallet, keys, phone and maybe some other, small products.

i ordered the bag mini mac clutch in black leather with silver hardware from zappos.com this week, and it arrived today, just in time for my birthday dinner with a friend tonight and birthday tomorrow! i am so happy with the bag already, and i can't wait to wear it out tonight. the leather is very soft, and it's just an overall wearable bag! i'm in love!

designer bag wishlist

2012-02-08T20:46:00.002-06:00

i've always been a bag lover. when i was younger i owned so many random bags, that i either wore once or all the time. as i'm getting older i've realized that as much as i'd love to go out and buy a lot of cute bags, that i'll probably just wear a few times, it's more important for me to invest in bags that i know i'll love, keep forever and actually use more than just a few times.

last summer i made my first designer bag purchase, one i've been drooling on since i was in middle school, a louis vuitton monographed speedy 30. as much as i love that bag, i haven't worn it as much as i'd like to because in my opinion it's not the best everyday bag. i have a lot of bags on my wishlist, but i can't really allow myself to go out and spend $2000 on a bag while being in college!

ONE balenciaga city / TWO modalu pippa

THREE louis vuitton neverfull mm / FOUR rebecca minkoff heavy metal flame

kate spade surprise sale!

2012-02-07T16:00:00.001-06:00

when i checked out katespade.com today, as i do everyday, i saw a banner with a surprise sale lasting until midnight tonight {pst}! i love kate spade, but not so much the prices, so this was a great tuesday surprise for me. i've already picked out some favorites, there's a lot of stuff to amazing prices, so check it out! since i just ordered a new bag yesterday, i think this'll only be a sale i'll peek at...

on my nails: essie's set in stones

2012-02-02T14:21:00.004-06:00

i love wearing my essie top coat in set in stones. it's so sparkly and girly. i love the combination that's currently on my nails, a silver color with chunks of glitter on top.

new in

2012-01-29T13:37:00.004-06:00

after my final on thursday i went shopping with my friend in the city. i decided to stop by macy's and look at some origins product, and i decided to buy the 'checks and balances' cleaser and the 'drink up' mask. i've tried the cleanser a few times and i do like it, but i might return it for a different cleanser since i don't feel like it's perfect for dry skin. i've only tried the mask once, but i really like it - it feels so hydrating. i tried out some other products too, and i really liked two of them, so hopefully i'll get to buy them soon!

on my nails: essie's midnight cami

2012-01-28T16:12:00.005-06:00

my go to nail polish when i can't decide which one to apply is midnight cami from essie. it's a dark dark blue color, which almost look like it black - but it's not. your hands look really clean and it's such a perfect color for fall and winter.

early birthday present for myself!

2012-01-23T15:39:00.003-06:00

my birthday isn't until the 10th of february, but i've been wanting a new watch for such a long time that i decided to go to macy's and buy one today. i planned on buying a watch from marc by marc jacobs, as you saw in an older post, but after browsing the selection at macy's and not falling in love with any of the watches they carried, i decided to take a quick look at michael kors too. i tried on so many watches, and one of the last ones i tried on was the one i ended up with.

i absolutely love my new watch, first i thought about waiting until my birthday to wear it, but i just can't wait. happy early birthday to me!

origins skincare products

2012-01-22T11:00:00.003-06:00

as i wrote in my skincare routine post, i love trying out new skincare products, now that i'm almost out of my cleanser i would love to try out a new one. altogether i would like to change my whole skincare with new products from just one brand: origins. i already own one product from origins and i love it, so trying out new products from the brand is on the top of my list. when i've finished all of my current cleanser i will most likely try out one from origins, and rather build my origins skincare product collection little by little - since it's not the cheapest brand.

the origins products i want to try out is "checks and balances" cleanser, "drink up" face mask, "ginzing" eye cream, "a perfect world" moisturizer {i've already got the spf version of this, but i might want to try this one after i finish the one i have}, and "vitazing" spf 15 tinted moisturizer.

most worn jewelry

2012-01-21T10:10:00.003-06:00

i love having a few pieces of jewelry that i love and wear every day. i like to invest some more money in simple jewelry that i can wear forever, and rather go to forever 21 or h&m to pick up some more fashionable jewelry that i'll wear one or two times.

my most worn out of these is my oversized retro watch from asos that i've had since may last year. i absolutely love it, and the only reason for why i'm getting a marc jacobs one instead is because the "silver" have started to rub off, and because i want to invest some money in something i know i'll be wearing every day.
the next thing that's my absolute favorite out of these five pieces is my pandora charm bracelet. i started out with a thomas sabo charm bracelet, but after getting the pandora one i found the one from thomas sabo to be a bit more childish. i still like it and wear it occasionally, but my pandora is my love! i bought it for myself after my birthday last year, and the charm i bought with it was the present - since i bought it with my birthday money.
the last three pieces are my favorite earrings. a pair of silver "pearls", pearl earrings, and black and silver studs from a&c.

do you have any particular jewelry you wear every single day?

essie nail polish collection

2012-01-20T16:30:00.002-06:00

as i've mentioned before, i love nail polish and essie is my favorite brand. i can almost never go out of target or ulta without a new essie polish, i just love them so much! i though i could show you my little collection of essie nail polishes that i've bought over the last four months. i love the quality of essie, but a few times i've bought a nail polish that's not opaque at all which is not good. i don't want to apply five plus layers of nail polish on my nails; that's just a waste of time! i'll do a different post with my favorite colors, where i'll swatch the nail polishes on my nails too.

neo whimsical, big spender, jamaican me crazy, plumberry, carry on.

jelly apple, a cut above {luxeffects}, wrapped in rubies, downtown brown.

set in stones {luxeffects}, master plan, mint candy apple {older}, trophy wife, midnight cami, shifting power.

birthday treat

2012-01-17T08:16:00.002-06:00

my birthday is coming up on the 10th of february, it'll be my first ever birthday away from friends and family. i find this to be really sad, especially since it's on a friday too - which means everyone will most likely go home for the weekend. because it's my birthday and i won't be able to celebrate it like i normally do, with my family and all, i though i'd treat myself to something nice. i haven't decided what yet, but i have a few things in mind...

the famous "pippa" bag from modalu is named after pippa middleton, since she's been wearing it ever since the royal wedding, which have made the bag famous. i love the classy look of the bag, it has three big compartments, and i think it would be a great investment for my wardrobe. this is not likely to be my birthday present for myself, since the bag is out of stock in the color "shark" and it won't be in stock until april...
i've been wanting to buy a new watch for a few months now, and i've decided to go with one from marc jacobs. this "henry" watch is both silver and rose gold, which i think look great together. however, this watch is extra large and i don't think it'll look too good on my wrists since they're so small. i've seen a smaller version of the silver and rose gold too, but i'm obsessed with this watch!
i've been eyeing these gk design "inspirational" bracelets for a while, and i love the engraving "live your dreams". right now this is probably what i'll buy myself for my birthday, unless i'll get an opportunity to go to nordstrom and check out the marc jacobs watch!

essie spring 2012 collection

2012-01-16T13:33:00.001-06:00

i'm obsessed with nail polish and essie is my favorite brand. i was so excited when i saw their collection for spring 2012, which will be released in february, and i fell in love it some of the colors. essie are releasing six new colors that are perfect for the spring and summer fashion trends: pastels and brights.

the pastel colors are called: navigate her (green), a crewed interest (peach), and to buy or not to buy (lilac). the bright colors are called: tour de finance (fuchsia), ole caliente (red), and orange, it's obvious! (orange).

my must haves are tour de finance and navigate her, and maybe even orange, it's obvious! are any of these colors a must have for you this spring and summer?

styled for spring: brights

2012-01-16T10:23:00.003-06:00

for my first fashion post on ej-lifestyle i though it would be perfect to start it off with spring fashion. this spring, and for the last part of winter for that matter, i'm all about pops of bright colors in my outfits. not just for color blocking, but also to add some thrill to your outfit.

for some bright items to add to your wardrobe i would suggest to go for blazers, scarves, pants, blouses, bright colored heels, bangles or statement necklaces, depending on your style. i love wearing my hot pink blazer with neutral colors, or a pair of cobalt blue jeans with a simple white shirt and gold accessories. bright colors also look amazing together, so dare to experiment with color blocking while you're at it!

what's in my makeup bag?

2012-01-15T19:43:00.006-06:00

smashbox studio skin 15 hour wear foundation ; the best foundation i've ever tried.
maybelline instant age rewind concealer
benefit hoola bronzer ; i love a hint of contouring/bronzed look on my skin on an everyday basis.
revlon photoready 3d volume mascara
anastasia beverly hills brow gel ; so worth the $21 price tag, your brows stay in place all day long.
sonia kashuk beauty sponge ; a more affordable version of the beauty blender.
benefit girl meets pearl highlighter
real techniques buffing brush
mac paint pot in bare study
lorac bejeweled eyeshadow palette in quartz